Scuba West

I’ve been diving with Scuba West and Megalodon charters a few times and have had a fun time. They leave on time, are friendly and helpful, and give a great overview of the fossils you may find in the Venice waters.

Horrible shop, don’t waste your money. The owner, Jeff Tobey marks up everything in the shop at least 100%. If he can’t double his money at a minimum, he doesn’t want to carry it.
«Hudson Grotto’ which is the nasty sinkhole across the street that they are so proud of, is a cold, dark sinkhole that smells like rotten eggs. Recently they did a class with brand new open water divers in there where the temp was 59 degrees and the visibility was around 5 feet. Rest assured that anytime you take a class through them, that is where you will be doing your in-​water training.
The only good thing about that shop is Alison, the dive instructor, but I can’t imagine her being there for long because she has way too much class for that place.
There are tons of better places to get your training ranging from Bird’s Underwater in Crystal River to Mac’s Sports down in Clearwater with a bunch of great shops in between. They are more reasonable with their gear prices and will take you to awesome places to train in the water, including Ginnie Springs, Blue Grotto, Rainbow River, King Springs, the Gulf and the Atlantic.
Why overpay to dive in stinky, cold split-​pea soup?

I received my OW certification through them only because I had a Living Social voucher reducing the price to less than half of what it would normally cost ($ 149 vs $ 350 or so).
Allison was absolutely wonderful as were John and Chris. After the first day of diving in Hudson Grotto, my first offical dive experience ever, I was seriously considering not going back the next day to finish the class. It was dark, cold, murky and it stunk. It was a glorified mud puddle.
If not for the major persuasion and reassurance from my boyfriend about how it was worst place I would ever dive and I would not have to go back, I sucked it up and finished the class.
We have since dove so many other places that were incredibly better and more fun; Ginnie Springs, Troy, Orange Grove, Key West.
I am glad I stuck it out but I would not go back and I would not purchase gear from them, their prices are ridiculously high!
Diver’s Supply in Tampa is much better as are other shops in the Tampa Bay area.